Stronger Through Him

  A friend shared this meme today and it caught my attention. Plant flowers.  Not discord.  Plant flowers, not just complain.  The top of the meme said it's source was "winter sowers".  Now my mind was intrigued.   Planting in the spring when the soil is warm and rich and the sun and rain promising is easy.  It doesn't take much faith to plant seeds that I will see sprouting in 7-10 days according to the back of the packet. Planting in the winter- now that takes some faith and hope that spring will eventually come. Planting in the winter takes intentionality and planning because there isn't a daily reminder with robins chirping and neighbors outside shoveling and plowing too. Elder Steven E Snow in his address on hope instructed, "We should never let hope be displaced by despair. The Apostle Paul wrote that we “should plow in hope”  (1 Corinthians 9:10) The exercise of hope enriches our lives and helps us look forward to the future. Whether we are plowing fie

  I remember one night when my kids were little and had an argument that escalated  just before bedtime.  After some parental intervention (and probably raised voices), as I tucked one into bed she said that she was not going to say her prayers.   I sat on the edge of her bed and asked her why not.  "Because I was bad and didn't do what Jesus said." I sighed and put my arms around her.  "Heavenly Father loves you even on the bad days.  He tells us to pray always, not just when we make good choices." "But I don't feel like praying when I feel like this." I understood.  Sometimes I feel like that too.  But as often happens, it is in teaching others that I am taught.  "First kneel down.  Then fold your arms and start. See how far you can go." She slipped her little feet out from under the blanket and dropped to the floor.  Her arms crossed and she bowed her head as I knelt next to her and waited.  "Heavenly Father...", she started

 I have always loved the beautiful melody of Jesu, Joy of Man's Desire.  I didn't know it's history or lyrics but they spoke to my heart yesterday.  It was popularized by JS Bach, but actually many people's work came together to allow us to have this masterpiece today. Bach incorporated it into a work celebrating and honoring the pregnancies of Elizabeth and Mary and the coming of the Christ child. He composed the music to celebrate Jesus as our strength, our Emanuel, God with us. Johan Schop is said to have originally composed the tune.  Martin Janis then wrote lyrics as part of a 19 stanza piece which translates to Jesus, My Soul's Bliss. Bach took two of the stanzas, added harmonies and orchestrated them. And here is the beautiful translation: Blest am I, that I have Jesus! O how tightly I cling to Him, so that He delights my heart when I am sick and sad. I have Jesus, who loves me and gives Himself to me as my own; ah, therefore I will not let go of Jesus, even

  George's favorite Christmas movie is "It's a Wonderful Life".   As we watched it on Christmas Day this week and George Bailey was caught in his difficult situation and facing potential prison time for the missing $8,000 he becomes wildly desperate.  All he had done was believe in people and try to live a good life.  Yet here he unjustly stood.   He yells and screams at his employees and family.  He breaks things.  He heads to the bar for a drink and then wrecks his car.  He contemplates suicide.  My heart goes out to him. All of us have had mortal moments when we give into the pulls of the natural man or woman.  When emotion rules and not our spirit. I've had way more than I would like and some have lasted for long stretches of time much to the displeasure of those close to me. Sometimes it's because I have disregarded or broken commandments.  Sometimes it's because I have simply been beaten down and worn out.  But in the midst of the fear, ange

  What a difficult and life-changing week for many. And yet I recognize for many that these difficult, even horrifically tragic parts of mortality occur regularly.  We just don't always know. I was on the phone with a friend last night and commented that I really hoped we get some good news.   And then, because it was Christmas Eve, I read about a brave young mama traveling with her honorable spouse-to-be trying to follow what God had asked of them.   Struggling to find shelter they end up in a grotto of some sort, an enclosure for animals.  And the babe is born.  The King of the world who slipped into the world in a humble and simple manner.   He was wrapped in cloths, the Lamb of God, and laid in a manger.  And the angels came.  The heavenly host who came to the lowest, the most common of people; the shepherds.  And they brought them this news.  This proclamation: "Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For u

 When Jesus came upon Mary and Martha wracked in grief over the passing of their brother, scriptures say that he "groaned in spirit and was troubled".  And that "Jesus wept." This is a season of weeping for many I love and care about.   Sister Linda S Reeves affirmed the deep compassion that our Heavenly Parents and our brother Jesus Christ have for us. "Dear sisters, our Heavenly Father and our Savior, Jesus Christ, know us and love us. They know when we are in pain or suffering in any way. They do not say, “It’s OK that you’re in pain right now because soon everything is going to be all right. You will be healed, or your husband will find a job, or your wandering child will come back.” They feel the depth of our suffering, and we can feel of Their love and compassion in our suffering." That is their promise and their call.  That we not be alone in the pain.  That they will be with us.  That we will always remember Him. As He always remembers us.  Weeping

 Sometimes all we can do is pray.  And tonight I am praying mightily for my friend's daughter who we also love dearly.  To plead and beg Heaven for the help we so desperately need.  Or on behalf of someone we love. When we bring every thought, every bit of energy and every piece of us and lay them on the altar.  That can be part of sincere prayer.  Elder Bruce R McConkie taught, "It is pleasing to that God whose we are when we fast and pray and seek his blessings; when we plead with all the energy of our souls for those things we so much desire; when, as Paul says, we “come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” I believe that at our most desperate moments our Savior is as close to us as is possible. I believe that when we can no longer even form the words, he hears and senses our prayers from the jumble of thoughts and the overwhelming feelings of desperation storming through our minds and souls.    I believe that w

  December 21st.   In our hemisphere, it's the shortest day.  The darkest day.  But also a shift to greater light. One friend's family takes a walk together.  They build a fire and together talk of the old to cast off and the new to embrace in the coming season. Another friend lights luminaries, to remind of the light to come- the light of Christ. In our faith we continue to "Light the World".  President Gordon B Hinckley explained that with the winter solstice  "comes the promise that spring will come again and summer will return, as it has through all the millennia that men have been upon the earth. It is no wonder that in ancient times Christmas, commemorating the birth of the Christ child, was celebrated at this solstice season. Men had no knowledge of the time of His birth, and so they came to bond the celebration of Christmas with the celebration of the return of the sun. " While we may welcome the return of the sun, we truly celebrate and

  Today I received a piece called The First Christmas, by Ruth Bell Graham.  It was tucked into a Christmas card and sent with sincere wishes for me to take the time with my family to ponder Christ's birth and all that came about because of it. Here are a few lines that stood out to me: "I don't envy the people who lived in Bethlehem that night, even though many of them must have seen Jesus and Mary and Joseph with their own eyes.  For they couldn't have known all that they were seeing.  They couldn't know all that this Baby was born to do; the words of joy He would speak to an unhappy world.  The love He would show to people too used to hatred, the victory he would win over sin and sorrow of the world." I don't envy them.  First of all, I'm a HUGE fan of indoor plumbing and modern conveniences.  I like things clean and prefer no visible insects in my life.  Yet I can't help but wonder.  Would I have paused at the infant's first wailing

  "Lead me, guide me, walk beside me." I found myself saying those words over and over as I responded to my friend's text that her husband was critically ill and they had been summoned to say goodbye.  A Primary song , sure; but perhaps one that should be more primary in my patterns of direction.   "Help me know what to say, or when to say nothing at all. Help me reflect your love. Please don't let me somehow make this worse for this grieving family."  That was my prayer. "When is the last time you mourned with those who mourn? Or comforted those who needed comforting?"  The words from today's Sacrament Meeting echoed through my mind.   This is what we promised to do. Then the news that he was gone.   One more widow.  Two more fatherless children.  At least in earthly terms.  I called a friend who let me talk it out and cry it out .  And then the words came to my mind in a powerful rush.  "You are not alone."  That's wh

  Sister Reyna I Aburto related the account of Mary Magdalene at the tomb after Jesus' death. "Mary Magdalene stayed at the tomb by herself. Only a few days before, she had seen the tragic death of her friend and Master. Now His tomb was empty, and she did not know where He was. It was too much for her to take in, and she wept. At that moment, the resurrected Savior came to her and asked why she was weeping and whom she was seeking. Thinking that the gardener spoke to her, she asked that, if he had taken her Lord’s body, to tell her where it was so she could get it. I imagine that the Lord may have allowed Mary Magdalene to grieve and to express her pain." My community has taken on our share of grief this week.   My coworker's husband passed away from covid this morning.  He left a grieving wife and teenage daughter.  That's our second covid death this week to directly impact our school and the third in the last month. You could feel the sadness on the air and par

  I know in the end that Jesus came for just this reason.   That he came to wipe away tears, break the bands of death and give us hope beyond the grief.  But he also came to succor and support us where we are.   And right now I have two precious students- 9 & 10, whose Daddy died of covid this morning. So right now I am so grateful that He also came to teach us to mourn with one another, to uphold one another, and that He himself will cry with and be with them. Because it's not only okay to cry at the sad parts, it's what we are called to do.  So tonight my tears are for this little family whose lives are forever altered.  Hug your families.  Call your dad.  And please join me in praying for them and all those who will be helping them navigate this new and difficult path.

  Six geese a laying. Six days of creation.  Light. Firmament. Plants. Sun, moon, and stars. Fish and animals.  Man. One of my favorite lessons from the creation? God said it was good.  Not perfect.  But good. If good is good enough for God perhaps I can give myself and others some grace to appreciate their own goodness in spite of the imperfections. We used this phrase in our leadership meeting this week. Progress, not perfection; headed in the right direction. 

 Earlier this week I received a message from a man encountering difficulty with purchasing some books from my Facebook marketplace account.   I am not very tech savvy, so I gave him a couple of semi-wrong answers for the problem before I finally said I had updated my account information and it would probably be fixed in a few days. His concern was that he really needed the books for Christmas for his grandchildren. I looked back at the listing and decided for the $10 plus shipping I would call it a good deed and offered to send them to him for no charge.   With tremendous gratitude he replied that he and his wife were both battling cancer and finances were extra tight.  This gift was very much appreciated. It would be their grandchildren's Christmas.  Then he offered what he did have.  He asked if there was a need that he and his wife could pray for. It would have been easy to brush him off but for some reason I paused and gave it some thought.  Then I told him that I had three col

  Romans 12:6-8 6Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; 7Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; 8Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness. Seven swans a swimming can remind us of the seven gifts of grace or the Spirit.   Prophecy, ministry, teaching, exhortation, giving, ruling and showing mercy. The one that stuck out to me in significance at this season is giving to be done in simplicity. I agree that it's a spiritual gift to be able to keep our giving meaningful and simple and a great reminder as we get bombarded with advertising and spending opportunities.   Instead of bigger and more, perhaps we can think more deeply about the recipient and share from our hearts and conversely receive with generosity of spir

  Ten lords-a-leaping.  Continued study reveals some ambiguity as to the origin and religious ties to the Twelve Days of Christmas.   It is plausible that the song was first written simply as a nonsensical bit of fun and only later were the religious connections made as a mnemonic device to assist in a Catholic catechism.  Regardless,  the meaning was made, and it is a fascinating look at some of the symbols. So back to the ten lords-a-leaping.  Some historians have surmised that in the time the song was written the lords of the day used their long hallways for exercise and engaged in games of leap frog.  This makes me laugh to picture and I can only assume they were a bit more flexible and fit than some of the lordly men I know! What meaningful religious matter comes in ten?  The Ten Commandments.   Thou shalt have no other gods before me. No graven images. Do not take my name in vain.  Keep the sabbath day holy. Honor your parents. Thou shalt not kill, commit adultery, steal

  Eleven pipers piping.  Eleven apostles who stood by Jesus, even if imperfectly.   Peter, Andrew, Simon, Jude, Thomas, Matthew, James, James, John, Philip and Nathanael.  Only John is believed to have died a natural death.  Records are unclear but we know some, if not all, of the apostles were crucified (Peter upside down), beheaded, stoned, stabbed or beaten.   What was so important that they risked everything and laid their lives on the line?  They knew Jesus.  They walked with him.  They talked with him.  They learned from him.  And they loved him. So much that when Jesus said "Feed my sheep" they did.  Imperfectly, but they did it.   Even when he was no longer physically there.   Isn't our call the same?  To love Jesus.  To truly love Jesus.  And then to share that love.  To feed his sheep, including ourselves.  For God so loved the world, that He gave His begotten son.   For us.  (John 3:16) For us to follow.   For us to learn from. For us t

  I was teaching in a first grade class today.  We had just read about different animal groups and how they stick together for protection.   My group was writing sentences that I dictated.  I was patiently having them listen to the sounds of the words and think of their vowel knowledge for spelling.  I was impatiently demanding they capitalize and punctuate. Every time!!   One little friend who I will call Miss Sassypants had already critiqued my outfit, told me I was wasting too much time and was just rubbing on my frayed nerves.   Another was painstakingly crafting each letter so slowly that I wasn't sure we would be done by the end of the school day.  But it looked fantastic and I commended her.   "Yes!  You wrote it exactly right with each of the sounds.  People will be able to read that! That's perfect!"   Miss Sassypants didn't skip a beat.  From her same slouched position where she was attempting to hide her drawings of rainbows instead of her sentence, she

 Many years ago an acquaintance shared her personal challenge of celebrating the twelve days of kindness to start December.   At the time she was a new mom of quintuplets and was struggling with how to find time for meaningful holiday service.  Because giving life to and keeping five infants alive isn't enough, right??!!  But I understood that she was saying she was struggling with not being able to complete some of her traditional holiday service activities.   So she made an effort to show intentional small kindnesses in the name of Jesus every day.  Over the years I have taken the tradition and morphed it into a tradition of my own.  Part of that is for me to find and highlight the kindnesses done by others. This week we had a special needs kindergarten student who had been out for two weeks.  In a quiet and unassuming way (we only know because his mom told us) we found out that his teacher stopped by the house  and dropped off a little toy car.   She simply said that she was gue